Clockwork City
by SyFyGirl1990
Summary: London detective, Clare Fairchild, moves to New York City in hopes of starting a new life and ridding herself of her past. On the other side, big shot Jace Herondale is the best detective in New York City. Taking on murder cases, psychotic ex girlfriends, and so much sexual tension it's deadly.Homicide is about to get a hell of a lot sexier.
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1**_

_Chapter song_

_*** Black Widow by Iggy Azalea_

The floor for homicide was plain. A rectangular room was on the left of the elevator. Clare Fairchild could see a grey, wooden table, two orange high stools, a long dark blue counter top stretching across the wall, a silver refrigerator, and a large, black coffee maker on top of the granite countertop. There were two men in their mid twenties in the, what Clare assumed was the breakroom. A black haired young man with his back towards her and a man in a laboratory coat. He had light brown hair and glasses on the rim of his long, thin nose. They were laughing and talking about what sounded like football. Clare wondered who the men were.

In front of her were polished desks. They were arranged in four neat rows containing five desks each. There was an empty desk a foot or so away and Clare smiled to herself. Down the rows of desks were a four doors. She guessed that they were for the holding cells, interrogation rooms, the surveillance rooms that are used to monitor said interrogation room, and the bathroom.

On the right side of the room was the Captains office. The doors were opened but the blinds were drawn on the glass walls. Clare knocked on the frame of the door and waited until she heard the grated voice. The Captain introduced himself as Hodge Starkweather and offered her a seat, she took it grateful for the relieved pain from her heeled shoes. The office consisted of a mahogany desk, a black spinning chair, two overstuffed chairs in front of the desk and a counter behind the Captains desk. She felt like her feet were going to bleed all over the stainless floor. She regretted wearing heels. Well in all honesty she regretted wearing them the second her heels touched the sidewalk. She didn't want to wake Maia so she dealt with it.

Clare sat across the polished desk. Hodges grey eyes followed her movements. They exchanged pleasantries. Coffee was offered and declined. She wanted to get down to business and go back to her apartment search. Currently she was crashing at her college roommates small two bedroom on the opposite side of her search area. Maia Roberts and her boyfriend, Jordan Kyle, lived in a pretty good neighborhood and they both had stable jobs, Clare felt like she was intruding on their lives. Judging by Jordans absences, he agreed.

"Why are you transferring to NYPD?" Clare was used to being asked this question. Her mother, Jocelyn, and her brother, Jonathan, were highly protective of her and were willing to handcuff her to a radiator to keep her from going to New York.

"I need a new scene. Someplace where it doesn't rain 24/7." Hodge chuckled lightly. At least he wasn't one of those serious, always on the job type of people. Clare hoped her partner and other coworkers were the same.

"I've read your file. You have a bachelor's degree in engineering, you were at the top of your class in the academy, spent six months training in hostage negotiations, then another six months in a bomb squad, and your weapon expertise is impressive." Her life achievements were now on replay and she had worked very hard for all of it.

"I know what you're wondering, why the degree in engineering, before I went into the academy I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life and I thought engineering would be my true calling. Evidently not." The crows feet around his eyes strained as he smiled.

"Whatever the reason for your transfer here, I'm very glad that you'll be joining our little family." They talked a while after that. He seemed like a man who she can respect and look up to. At the end he escorted her out of his office and to the elevator. His hand was pressed to the small of her back and she wanted to wriggle out of his touch.

The black haired boy from the break room turned to look their way. He had shockingly blue eyes. A black gun and a silver badge outlined his upper leg. His eyebrows shot up when he saw Hodges hand on her back. This was definitely not the impression she wanted to make on her new coworkers.

She walked out of the precinct. As she stumbled onto the concrete sidewalk the cold, icy air kissing her pale face and bare neck. She wrapped her green scarf tighter around her neck until she couldn't feel the chilling air. She still had two apartments to view and she really wanted to get there quickly but that didn't seem possible unless she kicked off the heels or at least change into more comfortable shoes. After a block she felt like her feet were melting inside the black heels. She decided on a detour and swerved into a shoe store.

She walked around the boots section. There was no way in hell she would buy another pair of painful looking high heels. That's what got her in this mess. Her dark blue jeans would go well with a pair of brown boots and so would her short sleeved blue blouse. She felt a pair of adorable looking brown boots with no heels, they were butter soft with a black fur inside lining.

"I love your shoes." Here we go. Clare swore that if someone tried to sell her more heels she was going to lose it. Grinding her teeth, Clare turned to see a tall raven haired girl with dark brown eyes. She was wearing a dark red dress and Clare wondered how she didn't have frostbite all over her bare legs. She had a name tag, Isabelle.

"Oh thanks but I actually came to buy anything without a heel. I think the point of walking is to be able to feel your feet." The girl laughed and came closer to the gorgeous brown boots.

"Personally I love high heels. These are probably the only shoes I would buy that don't have a heel. What's your name?" Isabelle looked down at Clares feet then pulled out a box, size 8. How in the bloody hell did she do that?

"Clare." Isabelle handed the red box to Clare and smiled. "Thanks." A sudden flash of realisation struck Isabelles beautiful features.

"Aren't you Maia's old college roommate? Don't worry I'm not stalking you, Maia works with my brother." Clare took a closer look at her raven black hair, paper white skin and build. She looked like the boy in the break room at the precinct.

"Yeah I am." Isabelle walked Clare to checkout and after Clare paid, Isabelle held her arm while she changed shoes. "Thanks."

"You should come out with me and Maia. It'll be fun." Isabelle went into detail about some nightclub called Pandemonium. At the end Clare agreed just so she could make it to her appointment on time.

She walked to the last building she was scheduled to look. The last one she looked at had been, in a word, horrific. This building looked prestien, it was in a good neighborhood, and it was within a walking distance from the precinct. Clare was a little disappointed to see no elevator. The walls were light blue and the stairs were carpeted. Her apartment was on the twelfth and final floor. Clare was breathless when she finally walked to the door. At least if she got this place she would stay in shape.

The door had a brown paintjob and cursive black writing. It was interesting. The door was also opened. She was greeted by a thin woman. Her body squeezed into a pencil skirt and blazer. She balanced a tablet on her arm.

"Oh hello! You must be Clare Fairchild." The woman pulled violently at Clares outstretched hand. "I'm Avalon Green real estate agent." Clare really wanted to put ice on her hand.

"Nice to meet you. What can you tell me about this apartment building?" Avalon was around Clares age. She doubted she was older than twenty-six. Avalon took a deep breath and closed the apartment door.

"The next door neighbor is a very big pain. Theres always yelling. Thats actually why the old tenants moved out. Other than that this building is very secure, you need a key to the front door or someone to buzz you up. We are very close to the police precinct and I know you're a detective so thats perfect! Oh and we are very close to the shopping district and a pretty girl like you needs the latest fashion!" This woman was the perkiest human being Clare had ever met.

"Do you mind if I look around?" The woman nodded and wandered off muttering something about finding the cookies. The walls were repainted white and a carpet had recently been put in. A grey bar was stationed between the livingroom and kitchen. There was a double door to a balcony. It was a two bedroom apartment and Clare was immensely grateful for her father and his money. Well he was in jail he had no say in what she used his money for.

The kitchen was very modern. White cabinets, a silver refrigerator, black stove, and the top cabinet doors were made of glass. On closer inspection Clare could see the patterns embedded in the glass. Clare walked to the bathroom. The one bathroom included a shower stall, white sink, a mirror cabinet, an actual bath, and the white toilet. The apartment was spacious too.

Clare bought the apartment, depleting her account to one third of its actuality. She called Maia around noon and told her that she would be moving into her new apartment by the end of the week. Maia told her that Isabelle had called and asked for her number to talk about going to club Pandemonium together. After the agent left and Clare hung up, she was left alone.

Clare had no furniture or culinary anything, as a matter of fact she'd left behind half of her clothes with her mother. She reminded herself to call later and ask her mother to send them to her. She also mentally noted a furniture store she passed on the way over to the building.

She took off the blouse. She didn't want it smelling like alcohol. She had a sneaky suspicion that Isabelle would try to force her into something too small and tight for comfort. She did.

Isabelle, Maia, Clare, Isabelles brother Alec, Isabelles coworker Magnus, and a girl named Aline found their way to a back alley. The sign hung low over the entrance marking it, club Pandemonium.

.o.O.o.

Jace Herondale was sick of stupid arguments with his girlfriend. Everytime they fought it was always about something new and stupider. Last time it was about how he wakes her up when he come home at ungodly hours of the night, the time before that it was about not getting her something big and flashy for their time it was about how he spent more time with Alec than with her. Alec was his partner it wasn't like he was ditching her to go drink in bars. Jace was a Detective and he couldn't just disregard his responsibilities and duties to spend time with his needy girlfriend.

Currently Alec and Jace had agreed to meet at a new club. Pandemonium. Jace had been a huge party boy in high school and college but once he entered the police academy he had to straighten up. The first week he had still gone out partying but the pounding hangover did not sit well with his commanding officer. He kept yelling and making Jace run laps around the school. Which would have been fine if Jace could have stood on his own. For the next year of his life Jace didn't even smell alcohol. Even after leaving the academy and starting in homicide he still refused to drink more than two beers at one time.

The club, as always, was crowded and the alley, in which the entrance was held, smelled like alcohol and body odor. The guard must have remembered Jace from his last visit because his muscular face twitched. Lets just say last time the guard had made an errotic comment about Kealies outfit and Jaces fist met the large mans face. The guard waved him in and Jace heard him mumble something incoherent before the inside doors opened and the neon colors and loud music swallowed him.

He couldn't see Alec through the blinking lights and stinging colors. As he passed the bar a group of squealing girls giggled and swooned over him. Jace made a mental note to discreetly check their IDs later then chastise the bartender, if need be. He spotted raven black hair and walked over, pushing through the crowd. Isabelles familiar face took shape. Her slim figure was trapped inside a silver mini dress and knee high black heeled boots. She spotted Jace too. The corners of her mouth turned down in a small but noticeable frown.

"Have you seen Alec?!" Jace had to shout over the thumping of the music. Isabelle turned and yelled her order at the bartender and turned back towards Jace. Her painted nail pointed to the stage. Alec was sitting in a stool talking to the most sparkling man Jace had ever seen. And that's saying something from the guy who had to go undercover for a strip club called 'Glitterati'.

Alec and Sparkles nodded in greeting and Jace sat down on a twisting stool next to Alec. A waitress came to take his order and she, with little self-restraint, dropped her writing pad on the floor and bent over to pick it up. Jace looked away. It was ridiculous how many groupies were around in places like this. You should have seen Glitterati. At least here his clothes were on. He couldn't say the same for the other people here.

"Did you and Kealie have another fight?" Jace just nodded and continued studying the dancing, if you could call grinding against someone else dancing, people. Blondes in short dresses and half drunk bimbos, as far as the eye could see. Ah, New York.

Alec noticed Jaces lack of attention and went back to talking to Sparkles. The waitress seemed to recover from the floor and wrote down Alec and Sparkles' order, Jace just ordered a beer. Just because his relationship was on the rocks doesn't mean his drinks should be.

Behind the blinding amount of glitter on Alecs new friend Jace saw a table full of girls. Isabelle among them. As Alecs sister she had always felt off limits but she was very attractive. The other girls around the table were familiar looking. Jace knew two of them, Aline and Maia. Aline was a junior detective in the narcotics department and Maia was in the terrorist division. From anyones point of view you wouldn't be able to tell that the hot group of laughing girls were actually a group of serious, committed workaholics.

An unknowing pedestrian may not see the fashion designer, narcotics detective and terrorist diversionary instead they may see the gorgeous black haired girls in inappropriate attire. A new girl was weaving her way over to his colleagues. Jace prepared for Isabelles snarl. She wasn't particularly fond of girls intruding her personal space. The girl was more dressed than probably anyone in the club.

She wore jeans, a black tanktop, brown leather boots, and a gold necklace. Her hair was auburn and she had it expertly curled. The minimal amount of makeup she wore surprised Jace, especially in a club priding itself on half naked slutty was holding a big green bottle. She neared the table and Jace thought about telling her not to bother trying but Isabelle was already on her feet heading towards the girl. Jace wished he had popcorn.

Isabelles arm shot out and landed around the girls slender shoulders. They smiled at each other and the girl held up her other hand. It was holding four shot glasses. Jace rose his eyebrows. He didn't know the girl and she intrigued him. The whole table did a round of clear shots. The song finished up and Jace heard a voice come through the microphone.

"Can we get a volunteer for some karaoke?" The crowd was looking around itself. He saw the Isabelle, Aline, and Maia push the new girl towards the stage. Her face was flushed but she climbed the stage and whispered something into the man's ear. He nodded and handed her the microphone.

Isabelle climbed up with her own microphone. Jace heard whistling from the guys around the bar. He couldn't blame them, the girl was very attractive but she looked incredibly fragile. She was probably a model Isabelle was using for a catwalk. The crowd was encouraging the girl to sing. The music stared and she paled slightly.

_**I'm gonna love you until you hate me**_

_**And I'm gonna show you what's really crazy**_

_**You should have known better than to mess with me harder**_

_**I'm gonna love you I'm gonna love you**_

_**Gonna love you, gonna love you**_

_**Like a black widow baby**_

It was Isabelle who started the song and more than a few guys had relocated in front of the stage to ogled her. The red haired girl looked a little more confident but not very. Until she opened her mouth and the most angelic voice started rapping.

_**The twisted cat and mouse game always starts the same**_

_**First we're down to play then somehow you go astray**_

_**We went from nothing to something like loving**_

_**It was us against the world and now we just fucking**_

_**It's like I loved you so much and now I just hate you**_

_**Feeling stupid for all the time that I gave you**_

_**I want all or nothing for us it ain't no place in between**_

_**By me believing what you say that you never mean**_

_**Like it'll last forever but now forever ain't as long**_

_**If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be stuck singing this song**_

_**You were different from my last but now you got a mirror**_

_**But as it all plays out I see it couldn't be clearer**_

Jace felt like his jaw had found it's new spot on the floor. This girl went from being terrified to rapping like a professional. The guys ogling Isabelle thought so too because they had relocated too. They were now cemented to the floor in front of the redhead, drooling. Isabelle sang her part but the attention towards her was less than ten percent.

_**You used to be thirsty for me**_

_**But now you want to be set free**_

_**This is the web, web that you weave**_

_**So baby now rest in peace**_

_**I'm gonna love you until you hate me**_

_**I'm gonna show you, what's really crazy**_

_**You should have known better than to mess with me harder**_

_**I'm gonna love you I'm gonna love you**_

_**Gonna love you, gonna love you**_

_**Like a black widow baby**_

Isabelle wasn't a bad singer. On any other night she would have been the complete and total reason for the gawking men but tonight she wasn't the only hot girl up there. Even Jace himself felt a little overwhelmed and kind of turned on by the redhaired girl. The rest of the song was a blur and if the girl noticed all the attention she didn't let on. When the guy with the microphone came back on stage and the girls were escorted down the room was filled with applause and jealous looks.

The guys from the stage pushed passed dancers until they reached the table. The girls exchanged looks and laughed. That didn't sit well with the beefed up guys in black wife beaters. Is that the universal dress code for douchebags? Jace himself was in jeans and a black short sleeved t shirt that outlines his muscles. It wasn't exactly provocative clothing but Jace felt eyes on him.

The red haired girl sat with her legs crossed, twisting a stray curl around her finger. Jace couldn't tell from where he was sitting what color her eyes were but he wanted to know. He stood up and began walking towards the table. He glanced back at Alec and Sparkles, they weren't paying attention. I need to learn that guys name, Jace thought to himself. When he neared the table he heard the blonde guy talking to the red haired girl.

"Come on baby, it'll be fun." Judging by the girls face that opinion was highly one sided. The blonde placed his hand on the girls thigh. Her face paled slightly before she leaned in dangerously close and smiled a devilish grin.

"I suggest you take your hand off me before you lose that appendage, baby." Her smile could have cut glass. There was a dangerous glint in her eye and the blondes friend apparently noticed it before the blonde himself.

"Conner, lets go." He tugged at the blondes-Conners- shirt. Conner leaned even closer to the girls face and gripped her thigh tighter. It didn't faze anyone at the table. Aline, Isabelle, and Maia were deep in conversation with drunk looking boy.

Conner looked like he was about to drag the girl by her red locks into a closet. Jace felt bad for the girl and stepped in front of Conner. Conners face turned disgustingly ugly, still he didn't let go of the girls thigh. Some nerve this one.

"If I were you I'd listen to your friend and let go of my girlfriend." Jace was hoping the girl wouldn't sell him out. He didn't regularly play hero in places like this, especially without his badge and gun. He looked down at the, seated, red head. She didn't seem like she would fight the cover he was setting up.

Conners friend pulled at his friend's arm again. The guy didn't budge. Jace didn't like the way he was looking at his 'girlfriend'. He put his arm around her in a protective manner. She tensed for a moment but played along. She turned and grabbed a black leather jacket and a light brown purse.

"Let's go babe." It took Jace a second to recognize his own cover. The red head kicked off the hand on her thigh and stood up. His arm was still around her. The girl turned to Isabelle, who gave Jace a death glare, you try to do something nice. Red murmured her goodbyes. He heard Maia call her by her name, something with a C.

They started walking to the exit. Jace caught Alec and Sparkles' confused expression and a few other glares from patrons at the bar. The girl herself received a few glares by the female company around. Jace couldn't help but grin at the contact. Once they were out of the club Jace noticed Conner and his buddy following them a couple feet behind.

"So whats my saviors name?" She had a British accent. Jaces hot meter for this girl went up, by a lot. He seemed to have a weakness for redheads who were British and could rap. Go figure.

"Jace Herondale. At you service." He plucked her hand up and kissed the back. She smelled very flowery despite the alcohol. She smiled up at him. "And who did I have the pleasure of saving?"

"Clare Fairchild. Aren't you Alecs best friend? Isabelle does not like you." He laughed and glanced behind him. His friend was gone but Conner was hanging around.

"That I know. Isabelle is not fond of very many people who are not female and don't care for fashion." Clare nodded. He had a better look at her eyes. They were green with specks of blue and gold. "What do you do for a living? Let me guess model? Actress?" She rolled her eyes and laughed. Jace decided he liked her laugh.

"I'm a homicide detective, actually." The girl was lying. Jace knew everyone in the whole precinct there was no way in hell she could work homicide without him knowing. He didn't know why she would lie to him. He thought about telling her but thought of a better way. Let her trap herself in a lie.

"How long have you been in homicide?" If he asked enough questions he would get her confused and she would admit she was lying.

"Since I graduated from the academy. So four years." She was good but he was better. They took the next turn and then down the stairs to the subway. "What about you? What do you do?"

"Oh nothing special. I dapple." She rose her eyebrows like she didn't believe him. Nothing special my ass, Jace thought, just the best damn homicide detective in New York. Jace insisted on taking her home but she refused saying she didn't know him enough to show him where she lived. Smart girl. Jace wondered if he would see her soon. they split at the subway. He didn't see where she got off and he was pretty sure she liked it like that.

.o.O.o.

"I wish you would come home, dear." Jocelyns voice was strained. Clare had asked when she could ship her belongings to her, her mother had reacted exactly the way Clare thought she would.

"Come on Mom, what am I suppose to do spend the rest of my life as a patrol cop? You know Captain Pangborn is a sexist pig and I would never have made it to anything bigger than his secretary." It had taken Clare over two years to finally get over her fears and move to New York. Clare was a tough girl but when Emil, Captain Pangborn, continued to disrespect her she couldn't take it.

"Maybe you could go into a different line of work. I always thought police work was too dangerous, you could be shot or killed." Jocelyn had cautioned Clare over and over again. This was a speech known very well to Clare. She'd only heard it for the hundredth time.

"Different line of work? Like what, work with Jonathan in a boring law firm? Or teach at the police academy? I love my job, Mom, I help people." Jocelyn continued voicing her opinion. Clare ignored her mostly. This was nothing out of the ordinary.

They spent the next two hours taking turns yelling at each other. It was mainly Jocelyn telling her to come home that she was just being ridiculous, that she needs to come home while Emil would still take her back. The other side of the conversation was Clare telling her how she didn't just want to be another cop on the freeway, directing traffic jams or filing paperwork for actual detectives.

The next time Clare looked at the clock it was two in the morning. Her mother was still refusing to send her her things unless she agreed to come home, permanently. That made no sense to Clare, why would she need to have her things sent if she was going to go home? Finally she told her mother that she would just buy new clothes. They weren't her favorite anyways. Clare went to sleep soon after she hung up the phone on an unwilling Jocelyn.

Clare woke up to a bright light being shined in her eyes. She was getting ready to scream at the jackass with the flashlight until she realized it was the actual sun. She rolled to hide her face in the covers but met the floor instead. She groaned and straightened up. She didn't want to get up. If she got up that would mean she would have to move, and buy furniture, then organize her meager belongings, and then she would have to go out again and buy necessities. Like food and lingerie. Apparently she forgot that too.

Finally she would have to, if she had time, swing by and renew her gun permit. Technically she had to do that every few years but she did it every month. She practically lived at the shooting range back in London. Reminding herself of the shooting range, she decided that she also had to find and register at the shooting range near her. She groaned and sat up. She shakily ran her hands through her tangled auburn hair. She walked to the adjacent kitchen. Maia left a note on the counter.

_Jordan and I went to lunch. You could have come but you wouldn't wake up, so…_

_We'll be back by 6p.m. to help you move. Have I mentioned I hate you?_

_Maia_

Clare smiled at herself. Maybe she could rearrange her to do list and go out and buy furniture and have it delivered. She still had four hours until Maia and Jordan got back and Clare highly doubted they were having 'lunch' for four hours. Couples gotta do what couples gotta do. She still smelled like alcohol and male BO, Clare took a shower.

After her exaggerated shower she dressed in dark washed, high waisted jeans and a green sweatshirt. She wore the same angel soft brown boots. She clutched her black leather jacket tightly around her as she exited the building. Secretly hoping that she finds a time machine and travels a week in the future so she can start working, Clare walked to the furniture store she'd seen.

She picked out a black leather couch, she would have picked a fabric covered couch but she wasn't big on animals so claws weren't a big deal. She also picked out a contrasting leather white chair, a black glassed table, a light blue dresser, and a king sized bed. She felt like she was wasting her money but then again she wanted furniture in her apartment.

Her next stop was a interior design studio. She mainly went for the kitchen appliances but she ended up buying a lot of other semi unnecessary things. She bought a red pots and pans set, a set of black and white plates and bowls, a case of purple and blue tall and short glasses, silverware, and white and black curtains for the balcony glass doors.

She then stopped by the grocery store. She didn't feel like stocking the whole kitchen or the rest of the apartment until her paychecks started coming in so she just bought the most necessary of things. Water, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, a purple victorian looking bedspread, two green bath towels, two pillows and pillowcases, bread, ramen, chicken breasts, potatoes, trash bin and trash bags, milk, a green blanket, cereal, yogurt, honey, oatmeal, raspberries, and eggs. She really wanted to buy a coffee maker but the more she thought about how busy she would become with her caseload the more she decided on just buying coffee every morning.

She had to take a taxi to her new apartment because there were so many bags that she couldn't carry them all. She set the refrigerator needed items in the refrigerator and the rest in the top counters. She had to tear down the metal bar to put the curtains on.

Clare set the bathroom and the bedroom with their respectable supplies. The furniture would be delivered later that night and she really wanted to go back and buy a bookcase but her books were back in England. She was more angry at her mother about refusing to send her books to her than the lingerie.

Maia and Jordan would be coming over from their apartment with her suitcases any minute. She draped the green blanket over her shoulders and sat out on the balcony. It was getting dark but at the same time it was getting brighter. The skyscrapers were turning their lights on. Clare was going to miss seeing the stars at night. She knew that eventually she would forget that they were still up there, but for right now she wanted to see them, just one more time.

She thought she could see Maia and Jordan walking up the street but just when she stood up she heard a loud crash. She jumped through the door and closed the curtains. She heard a wave of yelling and crashes from the next door neighbors. She checked her watch, it was seven thirty.

She went into the kitchen and sat down on the counter. She pulled out a strawberry yogurt and a silver spoon. Crossing her legs she began eating the deliciously sweet treat while the neighbors hashed it out. She wanted to go over there and see what's going on but she didn't have her badge or, more importantly, her gun.

She finished the yogurt and licked the spoon. Dropping it into the sink and throwing the empty white pack, that use to be the yogurt, into the trash she got off the counter. Looking at her watch she signed, eight o'clock. Maia and Jordan still weren't here and the yelling had only progressed. She pulled out her phone, ready to call Maia. There was a knock on the door. If it was the police, this would definitely not be the best way to meet other police officers. The knock came on again, harder and faster. She called out to the person that she just needed a minute. Dropping the blanket on the kitchen counter, she hurried back to the door.

"Can I help you-" She cut herself off when she spotted the familiar golden hair and eyes combination. It was that man, the one who helped her out of the club, Jace something. He seemed to be having a similar reaction to her. He was staring at her. "Okay, I have a serious question, are you a serial killer waiting for me to let my guard down then kill me?"

"If I was, I wouldn't knock." She huffed out a laugh. "I didn't know you live here. Did you just move?" He looked behind her, at the empty living space.

"No I just like living without furniture." Opening the door further, she gestured around the room to show her point. "I'm having my furniture delivered in twenty or so minutes but my friends are taking forever to get here and help. By help I mean drink all the alcohol in a two mile radius while I pull and push everything into place." As if on a timer Clare hear the moving truck pull up and the buzzer from down stairs signaling her to open the door for them.

"Do you want me to help you while your friend get drunk?" She nodded and left the door completely open while buzzing up the movers. Jace headed down to help with furniture, she made a move to follow him but he raised his hand. "You should stay up here and tell them how to position things."

"Okay." He was running down the stairs and she called after him, "Thank you!" She didn't know if he heard her but she felt better knowing that she didn't have to do it completely alone. She dialed Maia as the first piece of furniture came through the door. Maia didn't pick up so Clare left a message.

"Hey Maia it's Clare. I was just wondering where you are and if you'll be able to make it. If not," She cut herself off as Jace came in carrying a giant couch cushion and smiled, "I found someone else to help. Call me, okay?"

After hours of hard labor Clare and Jace collapsed on the leather couch. She looked at her phone again for the millionth time. It was one and she still had no missed calls from Maia or Jordan. But on the bright side her apartment was officially furnished and organized. And it only took five hours.

"You look sweaty and ridiculous." Clare laughed at Jace as he subconsciously touched his hair and looked down at his sweaty form.

"Oh I look ridiculous? Take a look in the mirror, you look like a poodle human hybrid." She smacks his arm and he laughs and hits her back with a pillow.

"At least I'm not as impatient as you." Clare dropped her head into his lap and looked up at his face. He was looking down at her.

"I'm not impatient." His mouth turned into a pouting frown and she laughed at how adorable he looked.

"Oh really? Come on Clare show them where to put the damn couch I can feel my arms melting, Jesus Clare you move slower than a three legged dog on cocain. What does that even mean?" She looks up at his amused expression and laughs.

"You know I could suffocate you with this disgusting embroidered plump throw pillow." Clary knocks the pillow out of his hovering hands.

"You know so much about throw pillows, should I be worried that you're a woman?" He shook his golden head with a smile plastered across his face.

"I'm all man, honey. Trust me. Or you could trust you and find out yourself." He gestured down at himself with a humorous smile playing on his lips. "Because, come on, no one can resist this much manliness."

"I could think of at least one person in this room alone that could resist that,"Clare gestured at him "much woman." He mocked hurt and placed one hand over his heart and the other over his agape mouth.

"How you insult me Clare Fairchild." She tried to mock comforting him but he jerked his head to the side playing along with his game. "No, I can't! How can someone so manly be accused of being a woman?" She couldn't help but laugh.

"Alright I'm sorry you're the manliest man known to mankind! You invented stripclubs, scotch, and cuban cigars. Happy?" His features morphed into a genuine grin.

"Ecstatic." Clares head was very comfortable in his lap and she really just wanted to fall asleep. By the look on his face he was having the same thoughts.

"Well, don't you two look comfy?" Clary jumped off Jace's lap and spun around to face the voice at the door. It was Maia. She was leaning against the closed door with her arms crossed. "Someone left the front door open and you didn't lock this one. Jordan is coming up with your suitcases but we could leave if that'll make you two love birds happy." Clare stood up from the couch and walked to stand next to Maia. She hugged her and smiled at her.

"Maia this is Jace, Jace Maia." They awkwardly smiled and waved at each other. Maia strode away from the door and sat in the white chair just as the door opened and Jordan came in. "Jordan this is Jace, Jace Jordan." Awkward waving more smiles.

"Well this was awkward." He stood and walked to the front door. He kissed Clare on top of her head. "I'll see you around." He opened the door and a second later Clare heard his door close.

"In the city for less than a day and you're already meeting boys. As your parents we cannot support this." Jordan and Maia were smiling wildly at her. They had started dating the first month of college. Maia was now 23 and Jordan was 24. Five years is a long time to be together. Clare was wondering when Jordan, if at all, would propose.

"Oh shut up." Clare faked an American accent. They laughed and she sat down on the couch.

.o.O.o.

Jace lay in bed, alone. Kaelie had a stick up her ass again. Last night she was yelling and breaking dishes. Jace didn't even know why anymore. They had fought for the worse part of forty minutes. He had wanted to apologize for the loud noise but the auburn hair caught him by surprise. He was gawking at her like that douche Conner. He didn't know she was his neighbor and then the moving truck came and he realized that she was just now moving in. He hoped that helping Clare move would keep him out of the house long enough for Kaelie to either get her shit under control or fall asleep.

When he got home she was asleep so he took a shower and went to bed. Kaelie was cold to the touch and Jace shriveled away, pulling the blanket up to her. He hung his head on the pillow. He tried to fall asleep but the temperature of the apartment was dropping astronomically. Kaelie stirred and her eyes flashed open.

"Well look who finally crawled into bed. Where were you? A bar with Alec, right? Why can't you just tell me her name? I know you're screwing around with someone else, but I don't understand why you can't just tell me!" She shot out of the bed and switched the light on.

"I don't even know what the hell you're talking about anymore. I work late, you say I'm sleeping with this mysterious woman. I go out to a bar with Alec, I'm seeing my mistress." Kaelie was pacing the floor. Jace got out of bed. There would be no sleep found tonight.

They argued in the bedroom until Kaelies pacing took her to the living room. They yelled there too until Kaelie snapped. She had a tendency to throw things when she got angry. She picked up the green flower vase and threw it against the wall.

"God, I knew I shouldn't have trusted you! You always fuck around!" She swung her hands through the bar and knocked over a fruit bowl. It shattered on the tiled kitchen floor. "That's it I can't do this anymore." Yeah, you aren't alone, Jace thought. There was a knock on the door. Jace walked slowly to the door, giving Kaelie time to calm down. He opened the door just as Kaelie sped walked back into the bedroom.

Clare stood there in a black, silk nightgown, poorly covered by a short, blue robe. Jace hushed her before she could say anything. She looked confused but she did it anyways. He turned around to find Kaelie staring at him, thankfully she couldn't see Clare or she would assume her to be the nonexisting mistress.

"It's the neighbor. They must have heard your tantrum. I'll go and make sure they don't call the police. Again." He slipped through the door and motioned for her to go into her apartment. Once they were inside he let out a deep breath. He was feeling better now that the temperature wasn't made for penguins.

"What's going on? I've heard two fights in less than twelve hours. I'm worried about you." She was looking down, tightening her grip on the robe. Jace looked down at himself, he wasn't wearing a shirt. Shit.

"My girlfriend is very paranoid. She throws things when she gets stressed. I'm sorry to have bothered you." She still wasn't looking up at him and he wished he could zap on a shirt. Usually, in a presents of a beautiful girl and when he's not in a relationship, he would wish for the opposite.

"It's okay but I really would appreciate it if you could keep the breaking to a minimum during the hours of 10p.m. and 6a.m. I do need my beauty sleep. I don't just wake up this gorgeous." Jace laughed.

"Goodnight, Clare." He wanted to hug her goodnight but he felt like that would make her uncomfortable.

.o.O.o.

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><p><em><strong>Hey guys!<strong>_

_**I spent a lot of time working on this and editing it**_

_**I spent so much time on it that it will be a while until I post the next chapter**_

_**Make sure to review/follow/favorite this story**_

**_I want to know what you guys think of this story, do you like it? Hate it?_**

**_Do you have any recommendations? Ideas?_**


	2. AN

_**So I just saw The Hobbit Battle of the Five Armies and**_

_**OH MY MIDDLE EARTH BABIES!**_

_**It was phenomenal, epic, incredible, beautiful, and emotional**_

_**I loved it SOO much!**_

_**I don't like the haters, if you don't like the movie I don't care just don't bitch about it. Your opinion is yours but I don't want to hear it. Seriously get your head out of your ass.**_

_**ANYWAYS...**_

_**I'm working on chapter 2 right now and I'm excited! I just had to tell you all that I'll post soon, don't know when but soon.**_

_**thank you so much for your support! Love you guys!**_

_**:)**_


	3. Chapter 2

**_Chapter 2_**

**_TIME LAPSE_**

Clare woke up in the middle of the night, screaming. She grasped at her throat, trying desperately to push away the pressure. She climbed out of bed on her shaking legs. Turning on the lights, Clare looked around the room, finding it completely empty. She felt her eyes burn and she slid down the wall to the floor. Folding her legs into her chest she wrapped her arms around her knees. Burying her, now wet, face into her arms she sat there, gently rocking against the wall.

Clare didn't know how long she sat there, trying not to cry. The alarm clock cut through the thick air. Clare slowly rose to her feet. Sliding the screen and turning off the alarm she dropped the phone into the covers. Stripping the nightgown Clare lets the pumping hot water relax her tense back.

An hour later Clare hailed a taxi. She climbed inside, her nose filled with the smell of chewed bubblegum and used firecrackers. The taxi driver was a plump elderly man in a thick brown jacket. White paper, crushed, empty coffee cups were scattered carelessly along the dashboard. Her craving for coffee grew in the ride to the precinct.

Clare asked the driver to stop at a coffee shop down the street from the precinct. Paying the taxi driver Clare went inside. She waited in line and ordered a black coffee, no sugar. Walking along the crowded streets. The weather was unnaturally cold for September. Clary walked through the metal framed doors of the precinct.

She stood silently in the elevator, she'd been silent all day. Taking a deep breath she stepped out of the elevator. She was unnecessarily nervous. Or was it necessary? She took a deep breath and knocked on the Captains glass door. Hodge didn't invite her inside instead he came outside and clasped her shoulder.

"Can you go in the breakroom for a minute? I'll be right there." Clare smiled briskly and retreated into the breakroom. She took a closer look at the room. It was bigger than her first impression. She sat on an orange stool looking through the glass to the other detectives. A moment later Hodge came in with another man.

He was well built, with stark white hair, and ebony eyes. Clare couldn't help but think how attractive he is. Then he opened his mouth and Clare wanted to hit him with the stool she was sitting on. Repeatedly.

"Hodge you can't be serious! This harlot cannot possibly be a homicide detective, let alone my partner." He was no longer attractive, okay he was, but not for long if he kept talking. Clares fingers were curling tightly against the stool.

"If you call me a harlot one more time you won't be able to see because I'll gouge out your eyes." The white haired boy grimaced and crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall. Amusement danced in Hodges eyes.

"Listen, Princess, why don't you go back to doing your makeup and braiding your hair and let the big, strong men handle this job?" Clare stood up rather violently knock the stool to the side of the table.

"When I see a big, strong man I can ask him to kick your sexist ass." Hodge was now forcibly trying not to laugh. And miserably failing. He made an excuse that he forgot his coffee cup in his office and that he would be back in a minute. It was clearly a lie to see if Clare and the boy could not kill each other for five minutes.

"So what's your name, smartass?" The white haired boy began speaking in a sweeter, a seductive voice. Clary slid the orange stool back to her and sat down, crossing her arms. She schooled her features into a lazy smile but really she was on a cliff waiting for the push.

"Clare Fairchild, what about you, superstar?" He looked her up and down, like he was trying to size up his opponent before a fight.

"Sebastian Verlac." He said as the amusement faded from his voice. He moved towards her. He towered over her. "I'm not sexist, I just don't think a girl made of porcelain can handle dead bodies and guns."

"You just proved you're sexist. It means you don't think I can handle everything you can handle just because I'm a woman." The stool legs screamed against the floor as Sebastian brought it in front of him. He sat down crossing his feet at the ankles.

"What's going on guys?" The boy from the break room before-Alec- was leaning against the doorframe.

"None of your business-" Clare interrupts him before the unenviable insult is force fed to Alec.

"Hodge was just introducing us. I'm Clare, you must be Alec." He smiles gently glancing between Clare and Sebastian.

"Yeah I am. Hodge told me about you, you're the new homicide detective, right?" Clare nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes she is. Joy, right? No because guess who she is stuck with?" Clare glared at Sebastian. She smacked him in the arm with her bag. "Ow! That hurt." He was rubbing his 'bruised' arm. Clare very much doubted she hit him that hard.

Alec walked to Clare and pressed him hands to her shoulders. She angled her face up at him. He shook her lightly for a minute.

"I am so sorry for you. He's an asshole." Sebastian let out a 'hey' but even knowing him for thirty minutes Clare knew this was snorted as Jace walked through the door.

"Hey!" Alec dropped him hands and both he and Sebastian turned to the voice. Jace strode in and wrapped his arm around Clare. "Are you guys messing with her? She can take you."

"Awe, thanks sweetie." Jace and her smiled at each other as Alec left and Sebastian pretended to gag on the floor.

"Leave blondie. I'm busy sizing up the new girl." He cut up the word girl so it would sting. Clare wasn't really feeling it. She was busy explaining to Jace why she was there. He looked intrigued. Sebastian snapped again. "Herondale leave." Jace glared at him but plucked Clares hand and kissed her hand before he left.

Clare and Sebastian talked for an hour. Everytime he opened his mouth Clare wanted to slap him across the face. With a chair. He was so pompous and self involved. In his mind he was probably the smartest and most incredible human being out there, Clare didn't know how to tell him that she thought he was an incredible stupid person. The entire time he spoke he leaned on his elbows and told stories where he saved the day but Clare suspected that at least 90% didn't happen the way he said.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Hey Guys!<em>**

**_Sorry it's so short but I needed to introduce Sebastian._**

**_I just marathoned Doctor Who; I cried SO much. I am actually crying while writing this. Reliving my favorite characters is both incredible and depressing_**

**_When you run with the Doctor it feels like it will never end however hard you try you can't run forever. Everybody knows that everybody dies. But no one knows it like the Doctor. And I do think that all the skies in all the worlds may just turn dark if he ever for one moment accepts it. Everybody knows that everybody dies. But not everyday. Not today._**

**_~River Song~_**

**_Please review!_**

**_Even if you don't follow and favorite (but you should:)) I want to hear your opinions and ideas!_**


	4. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

Hodge finally came around. Clare figured he just wanted Sebastian and Clare to become friends. Tough luck buddy, it's not happening any time this century. After Sebastian abandoned Clare to 'the peasants'. Hodge assigned him a mugging gone wrong downtown and Sebastian didn't want to take a 'newbie' to an open crime scene. He really did believe she was that useless, didn't he? That was a pleasant thought to have.

Clare walked into the desk area of the homicide floor. She spotted Jace slouched in a chair with his legs stretched out onto the desk. His pant legs covered sheets of papers on the mahogany desk. His fingers interlaced behind his short golden hair. Alec leaned against the desk studying a whiteboard covered in green dry erase marker. Alecs palms were pressed tightly against his eyes and he groaned loudly.

"What's wrong with you two, girls?" Alec didn't turn but the corners of Jaces mouth turned in an amused grin. Jace's face didn't falter as he rose and tapped Alecs shoulders. Alecs hands were yanked away from his face.

"Let's get some coffee." Alec offered and Jace steered Clare back into the breakroom. Alec followed shortly behind. The steaming ceramic cups warmed her hands from the icy air conditioning coming from the vents.

Alec was telling Clare about his boyfriend, Magnus Bane, she vaguely remembered him from Pandemonium. Jace was laughing when Alec said that he almost choked on Magnus' glittery hair when he bent in for a goodnight kiss.

"Did you know Clare likes her coffee black because it matches her soul?" Clare smacks Jaces shoulder and attempts to tell Alec that if she needed to see something that matches her soul she would just look at Jace. There was a loud clicking of heels behind Clare and the smirk fell quickly from Jace's face.

Alec looked worryingly at the door. Clare turned slowly. There was a pretty young woman leaning against the door frame. Seriously what is it with New Yorkers and leaning against doors?

Her petite frame covered in a lime green, short dress. Her blonde hair curled perfectly, her eyes, perfect, her body, perfect. Everything about this woman was perfect. Clare felt jealous until the woman's angry voice rung through the room.

"So is this her? The woman you've been two timing me with? Oh Jace Herondale, you have no rock bottom, do you?"

"Excuse me? I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about." Clare was baffled. Did an unknown woman just accuse her of sleeping with Jace? Well I guess she's not one hundred percent unknow, Clare guessed she was Jace's needy, throwing girlfriend. Jace's face was a blank slate as he stared at the pretty blonde.

"Oh now you're lying to my face? You think you can just deny something like that? You're not going to lay a finger on my man!" Clare was absolutely confused.

"Look, I don't know who you are and I am certainly not sleeping with Jace." Alec basically shoved his fist in his mouth to keep from saying anything. Jace still retained that blank stare. The womans stride was confident. She was as tall as Clare and she was wearing heels to make her taller.

"Bitch, don't fuck with me. Not today. I'm not in the best place right now and I really don't need some lying skank sleeping with my boyfriend."

"Oh my God, what the hell are you on? If you're this needy with your boyfriend and sceptical of every single girl Jace talks to, you are one seriously freaky woman." Clare didn't add how she thought she was really clingy and that she wanted to high five her. In the face. With a metal chair.

The women's sharp teeth pierced her bottom lip and she smiled. Her hand shot up and the steaming coffee cup was suddenly on the floor. The liquid stung Clares abdomen. She practically jumped out of her skin. She was about to scream when she realized that Jace was already escorting the angry woman.

He was trying to control his anger and Clare could tell. Clare wanted to rip off the burning blouse. Alec was leading her down a hall to a room. It turned out to be a locker room.

"Oh God, does it burn?" Alec's face marked his feeling of worry and curious about the woman. Clares mind wandered to the blonde haired woman and Jaces mysterious disappearance with her.

"No, of course not! I find the melting flesh quite charming!" Clare knew that it wasn't even remotely Alec's fault but sarcasm was her natural defense. She started to unbutton the small white buttons. Alec's face flushed as he turned around to face the door. "Do you think I could find something to wear thats not soaked with resentment?"

There was a light chuckle from behind her and Clare turned expecting Alec, instead finding Jace and no Alec. She turned sharply trying to cover herself but her pale skin was turning dark peach. She gingerly touched the skin and flinched back squealing in pain.

"Oh hey, hey. Let me see." He tried to turn her but she reared back closing the blouse over her black bra. "Stop it. Let me see." He ripped her arms away from her protective form.

Her mind jumped back to the last time someone had repeated the gesture. She tried to tear her wrists from Jaces grasp. He looked at her in sympathy and a stinging curiosity.

"Whoa. Whoa. You look like I was about to hit you. It must burn very badly." Jace was looking down at her chest. At first Clare was concerned that he was checking her out. It took her longer than she would have cared to admit to realize that he was looking at the burn.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Clockwork City will continue on January 20th…<strong>_

_**~Preview~**_

_In one single, rough motion. She found herself flipped ninety degrees downward. She was facing the ground and she sensed the rapid movement of dragging. She was being dragged to the kitchen. She heard the quickened footsteps towards the front door. The front door slammed shut._

_She could barely breath and was completely unable to move. She wished she could slip away into unconsciousness but her agony was keeping her awake. Her vision blurred and indistinct. Maybe it was the blow to the head or maybe it was because of the blood covering her eyes._

_She lifts her hand to her head without thinking and a sharp pain radiates through her palm as well. Looking down her arm, her body was soaked with blood and liberally pierced by large pieces of glass. She was certain many must have sliced a vein. Through the veil of crimson blood. She could make out a face with an unearthly blue glow about it. Clare reached out._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hey guys! Thank you for all your support and your reviews! I would really <strong>_**_appreciate all the wonderful things you guys are writing and messaging me with. I'm really hoping for at least 30 reviews by the time I post chapter 4. Which will, hopefully, be soon._**


	5. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

Chapter Song

**A Drop in the Ocean by Ron Pope

Clare came home two hours before midnight. Jace forced her to go to a clinic and buy something for the burn. They weren't serious. There wouldn't be any scars or long lasting redness but it would be there for at most a month.

As Clare laid on her back staring at the clear ceiling, she could only think of what the hell had just happened. One minute she was enjoying talking to her new coworkers and the next she was half naked in front of her co worker. Clare guessed that happened to a lot of other women but not while coffee burned their skin.

The was Jace had paid no attention to her other than the close examination of her burn was slightly demeaning. She felt embarrassed for her reaction when he grazed her skin. Goosebumps lined the delicate edges of the burn. When Jaces hand wrapped gently around her waist she suppressed a sigh and he just looked on curiously at the burn.

Clare knew she wasn't gorgeous like the blonde but she was half naked for god's sake and he didn't even check her out. Not even once. Honestly, Clare didn't know how she would have reacted if he had made a move. She missed getting some, dammit.

She laughed at the sudden thought. To anyone Clare would look like an insane person laughing alone on a couch. Technically that would be accurate. For a moment Clare considered knocking on Jaces door in her thin, silk nightgown.

"Oh my God. I need a cold shower." Clare flinched as she stood up. "Yeah, that burns like a bitch." Her descent into the bathroom was followed by a series of 'ow's and 'shit's. When the cool water touched her skin Clare almost screamed out of the pang of pain. Clare turned off the water and wrapped a towel tightly around her. "Never again."

For the rest of the night Clare spent it on the couch, reading. If it wasn't for the ever so present breaking glass from across the hall it would have been peaceful. Checking her wrist watch Clare huffed out a breath. It was now midnight and the yelling hadn't stopped or even quieted down.

Changing into jeans and a sweater Clare walked out of the apartment. Her messenger bag slung over her shoulder. Once in the hallway she could hear the screams better. Signing she walked quickly down the stairs toward the exit. Her mind was wide awake and she wouldn't be able to sleep anyways. A curl washed across her face and she brushed it away.

There was a lit bar at the corner. Stopping seemed smart. Clare really didn't feel like getting mugged today. Although that would make the day perfect. Apparently a mugging was not the only thing missing from the day, the other thing was sitting on a cranberry stool right in front of her. Sebastian Verlac.

Clare was dead set on two thing. One, ignoring that bastard and two, getting a goddamn drink. She strode past him to the opposite end of the bar. She heard a rhythm of whistling come from behind her signalling her that a man thought she was attractive. Rolling her eyes Clare sat on the stool.

"Clare?" Grinding her teeth she turned to face Sebastian. He was highly intoxicated. His eyes glazed over and hungry. He made a move to sit in front of her. He stumbled forward and Clare set her hand in front of her to stop him from falling on top of her. She heard a male voice come from behind Sebastian. Sebastian turned around annoyed.

"Excuse me, sir, can you get off my girlfriend?" Clare's first thought was Jace but when Sebastian moved away far enough for her to see the man, she realized it wasn't Jace. Why must every guy continue telling everyone she's their girlfriend? Did she just look that delicate?

"Sorry man, didn't know she was here with anyone." Sebastians words were slurred. Clare could swear she could feel the chills running down her spine. He stumbled away. Clares hero was a tall, tan hot young man.

"Sorry about that. I just can't stand drunk guys hitting on the beautiful woman I've been working up the courage to talk to since I saw her come in." The man was charming. "Raphael. And what's your name, beautiful?"

"Clare." She held out her hand for him to shake but his surprising action was pleasant. He kissed her hand. She flushed. They spent the rest of the night drinking and flirting. At some point Sebastian must have left because at 3 am he wasn't anywhere in sight.

"I'm sorry but I've got to go. I need some sleep tonight. Can I get your number?" Clare nodded and scribbled her number on the back of a napkin. Grabbing it out off the bar. As he bent in he turned his head and kissed her. It was short and sweet.

"Night, Raph."

"Goodnight Beautiful." Clare was still smiling when she climbed up the stairs to her apartment. Fishing her keys out of her messenger bag was not half as difficult as getting herself to not fall asleep in the hallway. When the door was unlocked she went inside and turned to close the door. Jaces door was cracked open. She left her coat and bag on the mantle and headed towards the door.

"Jace? Is everything okay? Jace?" Clare pushed the door open and peered inside. The lights were turned off. If Jace's apartment mirrored Clares then the lightswitch should be a foot or so away from the door. Clare called into the darkness again achieving nothing. Lifting her feet slowly as to not knock anything over she felt something drip on her cheek. Clares breathing was coming in harsh huffs of air.

"Hello?" Clares hand went directly to her hip. Cursing herself silently for not having her weapon she, shamefully, considers going to her apartment to find her service weapon. Clare knew that if something had happened every minute counted but she also knew that if anyone was there that meant to cause her harm than she needed to be armed. Reaching the lightswitch Clare gratefully flipped it on. Turning her head to the scene took her breath away and almost caused her a heart attack.

The entirety of the room was concealed in a thick layer of crimson. Clare covered her mouth with her shaking hands. She was too terrified to run, too shocked to scream. She should call someone. Her instincts kicked in and her feet started moving towards the door. They cemented themselves in the ground when she saw the bloodied knife laying next to a, used to be, white sleeve. It was a male shirt. Clares heart began beating so fast that it felt like it was running laps around the planet.

Clare ran through the door not looking back. She dug desperately through her bag. Finding her phone she dialed Hodge. Calling in a possible murder was harder when she knew the people. Hodge answered her by sending a series of police officers over to the apartment and commanding her to secure the scene.

Before doing anything she strapped the cold black gun to her hip. Slowly Clare began heading back towards the body. Her heart skipped every other beat. She walked to the body and let out a breath as she bent down to feel for a pulse. When she finally tore her fingers from the blonde girls throat they were sticky with her blood. Clare turned her head as Alec and four other officers came in.

"Is she…?" Clare tore her gaze away from Alec. "Guys, search and secure the premises, knock on neighbor doors, find out whatever you can, and tell me when the medical examiner gets here for the body." The officers grumbled their agreements.

"I'll check the bedroom, you look around here." Clare didn't wait for Alecs response as she headed into yet another dark room. She switched on the light and a small scream rang through the room. She fell back against the wall.

"Clare, what's going… Oh God." Jaces body was sprawled on top of the grey sheets. He was half naked. His hair a strangled mess from whatever had happened. "Oh God. We need to call it in."

"I know." Clare slowly moved closer to the golden boy. Tears prickled her eyes and her hands couldn't stop shaking as she felt for a pulse.

* * *

><p><em><strong>SO MUCH SUSPENSE! IF I REACH 50 REVIEWS I SWEAR I WILL POST A 5K CHAPTER IN A MAXIMUM OF TWO DAYS! I THINK THAT'S FAIR!<strong>_

_**I would have updated sooner but I have a bad cold. I can't breathe through my nose so please please review.**_

_**It would make me feel better knowing that me writing this while being yelled at to lay down was worth it 100%**_

_**I love you guys**_


	6. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

Clare's head snapped to Alecs direction. To his hopeful blue eyes. She smiled. He mimicked her features as he withdrew his phone out of his pocket. He called for an ambulance and Clare tried to forget the dread she felt when she saw Jace and believed he was dead. Clare began shaking his broad shoulders.

"Jace! Come on, wake up, come on. Please." His eyes fluttered open. Jace began lifting his head, running his hand over his face. "Oh thank God." She crashed into him. Jace barely got his bearings before Clare wrapped him in her embrace. Clare was trying not to cry but when his arms held her to him she broke. Clare had only known Jace for three months but she was terrified of losing him. Which felt ridiculous.

"Clare, what's going on?" Clare hushed him and kept and squeezing him. "Why is there so much blood?" The paramedic came in and Clare let go. "Why is there so much blood, Clare?" The paramedics stationed him on a gurney and carried him away. Clare could hear Jaces comments of shock when he passed Kaelies body. Clare took deep breaths and wiped her eyes.

"Alec, go with Jace to the hospital. Find out what happened here. I'll brief Hodge back at the precinct." When she faced Alec he was looking at her curiously. "What?" He smiled a smile that said he was sorry. He shook his head and turned on his heels following Jaces screams for explanation.

Clare rose to her feet. She was steadier than she thought she would be after witnessing the bloody scene in front of her. The latex gloves on her hands were weighing her down like anchors. She rifled through the sheets and scattered clothes. It was obvious they had sexual intercourse before her death. How could Jace have slept through the murder? He was either knocked out or he… No Jace wouldn't. But what if he did?

Could Clare find it in herself to believe Jace over the evidence? Kaelie was wearing a male shirt, Jace subsequently was missing half of his clothes. They had had sex before her death, Jaces arms were scratched and there was human follicles beneath her nails, they always fought, and the medical examiner had determined the cause of death as blunt force trauma and Jace was certainly strong enough to cause that.

Despite the evidence the door had been left open suggesting an intruder. When the nurses ran a kit on Jace they would know if he had been drugged. Although the prosecution could simply say he drugged himself to provide an alibi for the time of death. Clare was still feeling the buzz of alcohol but she didn't feel drunk or free, she felt like she was drowning. Drowning in guilt. Jace was an honored detective why would he kill his girlfriend and send himself to prison.

Clare needed to find a motive. Evidence was the only thing that mattered to the courts but motive was important to her. She needed to know why. Maybe Jace really had been sleeping with someone else or perhaps it was an accident or an intruder, a failed robbery, Herondale was not a murdered. He was sarcastic, sweet, and could be very strange but he was not a killer. He was not a murderer. Clare believed that, truly believed it. She had to, if she didn't what kind of a person would that make her?

There was a crunch behind her and Clare pulled her Glock out of the holster. She turned pointing the barrel at a startled Sebastian. He looked sobered up. Probably an effect caused by a cold shower.

"What do we have?" He stood glaring at her gun. She lowered it slowly and bent down to collect pieces of the vase. Sebastian acted like the scene at the bar had never happened. Clare was actually glad. She didn't need his bullshit right now. The green colored glass slipped soundlessly into the orange packet.

"Two victims. Woman, dead. Male is in the hospital. Signs of a break in. Thats all I know." Sebastian made a noise behind her, Clare made a choice to ignore him. "Go check on the neighbors, see if they heard anything. Before you ask, no I wasn't home during the time of death." Sebastians shoes clicked on each step. At least he listened this time.

Four hours of processing the scene proved useful. Clare dropped off her evidence and pictures at the precinct before heading towards the hospital. Alec was still sitting in the waiting room. When she asked him why he didn't go in he just shrugged it off and said he needed to go. Clare knew exactly why he couldn't go in. If he went in Jace would want information and Alec would have to ask questions that would make their friendship sink in quicksand.

"Hey." Clare pushed the glass door open. Closing the blue-grey curtains Clare sat at the edge of the bed. "How are you doing?" Jace sat up straighter. "I need to ask you a few questions." Jaces eyes widen.

"You've got to be kidding me! You think I killed her? Thats bullshit, Clare." His heart rate was increasing as he spoke. Clare slammed the beige folder against the blue sheets.

"You think I want to question you? You know how this works, Jace. You were the last one to see her alive, you were arguing. She got angry at you, she threw something. You threw something back and before you knew what happened Kaelie was on the ground, bleeding. You were afraid, you didn't know what to do, so you cracked the door open and turned the lights off. We know that you were chloroformed so maybe you thought that would sell the alibi. So what happened because the jury is going to believe the evidence and that's what the evidence is saying. I'm sorry. I know this isn't what you need right now but I need to know. So I can look at other suspects. Jace please." Clare hadn't realized that she was yelling until she looked at Jaces face.

"Okay, I'll tell you what I remember. You're right, Kaelie and I were fighting, she threw things and we were yelling. Then darkness just darkness. That must have been when I was knocked out. Please believe me." Clare wanted to believe him but he was leaving things out.

"Jace you left something out. You and Kaelie had sex before she died. Try again." Jace shook his head, a golden strand fell over his eyes. Clares hand burned to brush it away. He looked through his lashes and shook his head again.

"We didn't have sex. I was trying to break up with her last night." If they didn't have sex then why was Kaelie wearing his shirt, only his shirt, and why was he half naked in a mess of covers? Clare pulled her phone out of her bag.

"Simon, do me a favor, run a sex kit on Kealie W. We think the male DNA contribution was not Jace and we need a second opinion." Simon Lewis was her medical examiner and contact in the examiner circles. He was also the man talking to Alec the day Clare had gone to meet Hodge."Oh my God. Run the DNA, trust me." Jace mouths the word 'what' just as Clare hangs up. "Jace, Kaelie was pregnant when she died."

* * *

><p><strong><em>Did any of you actually think Jace was dead? I'm insane enough to actually do it, seriously don't temp me! You guys did really great with the reviews and I really enjoyed getting them so I am posting another chapter. It's not 5k words because the goal was not reached but I love you guys too much not to give you another cliffhanger. Also I'm just evil.<em>**

**_aedwards4102: The teaser is still going to happen but the real question is when. *wiggles eyebrows*_**

**_lindsayhonaker: Kaelie is already dead when Clare gets there and we will find out who hurt them. Or maybe they hurt each other?_**

**_Shameless Girl: Honey don't you worry I was thinking the same thing while writing that!_**

**_guest 1,2,3 and 4: Thanks! MWHAHAHA. Yes this is a Clace story with some Sizzy and a few other ships_**

**_Slightly Ghostly: I'm so happy that you like my story. Yes Raphael will continue being in the story for a while. The dead girl was Kaelie, Jaces girlfriend, yes._**

**_Wall-flower1999: THANK YOU! I was seriously just writing the first line of this note when I got your review_**

**_SereneCalamity, pianoheart, 07, sweetievalerie: Thank you so much and I am updating! I'm trying to keep you on your toes and I think I'm succeeding_**


	7. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6**_

_***Chapter Song***_

_**Hallelujah**_

_**I prefer the nightcore version ^.^**_

Jace couldn't breathe. It was like Clare had beat him with a shovel until all the air in his lungs was gone, floating in the toxic air. Kaelie was pregnant? The air felt like it was heavy with guilt and desperation. He could see Clares lips moving but he couldn't process the words she was saying. She reached out to touch him and he felt like a ghost. Clare could see him and speak to him but she couldn't touch him, couldn't feel him. Her hand squeezed his reassuringly but the only way he knew was because he saw her hand there. If he hadn't been looking he wouldn't have felt it at all. His heart was jump roping and Jace was afraid that if he were to move his heart would pop out and abandon him.

Clare looked down into her lap where a silver light lit up her face. Clare let go of his hand and pulled the phone to her ear. She nodded along to whatever the other person was saying and hung up. She stiffly slid off the bed and went to the glass doors. She pulled the curtains closed and began pacing the space between the bed and door. Running his rough hands on his face Jace tried to find his voice.

"What's the news? Am I the father of my dead girlfriends child?" Jace tried to keep his voice neutral but it cracked on the word 'dead'. If Clare had noticed she didn't show any sign of pity. She took a deep breath and sat down next to him on the small hospital bed. She turned to face him. He looked into her emerald green eyes and he noticed that it wasn't just green. There were specks of gold and shamrock green. Clare shook her head, 'no'. Jace hunched over and placed his chin on the top of his knee. Jace felt Clare shift and he grabbed her waist with the back of his arm.

"Please stay with me. I don't- I can't be alone right now." He turned to face her again. He was pleading with her and he knew it was a weakness but he didn't want to be alone with his thoughts. "Clare, please." She was still in his grasp. Clare nodded slowly and slowly stood up, away from him.

"I'm going to go to the nurse and ask for a blanket for the couch. I'll be back in a little bit." Jaces didn't know why but for a moment he doubted her. He was afraid she wasn't going to come back, that she was going to leave him to be tormented by nightmares of Kaelies body on the floor. Her lifeless eyes following him out of the apartment. Jace knew it was impossible, she was dead, but he swore that he could feel her right there, next to him. He turned abruptly to look at the other end of the bed. Empty.

He was going insane. Insane, because everytime he turned his head he was expecting her to be there. The meaning of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. That's exactly what was happening, he was going insane. He was turning his head, looking around for her. Wouldn't she haunt him from her violent murder?

The door opened slowly, like it was trying to surprise a mouse in a trap, Clare was carrying a green blanket and white pillow. Whoever decided the colors for this hospital was color blind. She tried to smile but it didn't reach her eyes and Jace knew she was faking it. He watched her as she stepped carefully around invisible obstacles around the room to the couch. She set down the sleep materials on the cream colored couch.

"There wasn't enough DNA to run another sample. We can match the DNA if we have a suspect but as of right now we don't. Your doctor confirmed that the drug dosage in your system was severe and could have killed you. I don't think you did it." She stepped towards the bed and Jace followed her movements with her eyes. She stopped a foot away from his and shifted her head to look at him sideways. "It wasn't your fault."

"Yes, it was. I should have been able to protect her. I should have been able to save her. She should be the one sitting in this bed and I should have died protecting her." His voice hitched and he twisted his fingers in knots on the blanket. He was looking down at his hands. Frustration weaving its way into his mind. This was his fault.

"No, you shouldn't have. Whoever did this is going to pay, don't doubt that, don't doubt me. Seeing you there, thinking you were dead, it terrified me. I know this hurts, it's eating you alive, I know that, but you can't keeping believing this is your fault. You didn't kill her, you didn't hurt her. This is not your fault." There was a fierceness to her words, to her voice.

Clare was staring at him, through him. She was surging protectiveness, Jace could feel it warming him. He brow furrowed when she was serious. Jace nodded and smiled somewhat convincingly. Clare's eyes were watering and Jace had no idea what to do. Crying women were not a strong place for him. He figured a hug would calm her. Her head was right next to his and he could hear her shallow breathing. Clare was sniffling, crying. She was clutching on to him like he was a life raft on a sinking ship.

"When I saw you laying there I was so scared you were gone. I don't know what- I don't know…" Clare couldn't finish the sentence, her tears had increased. She buried her face in his shoulder. Jace closed his eyes and tightened his grip on her. He didn't trust himself to speak, if he cried he may jump out the window but she needed to hear him, she needed to know he was real, that he was safe.

"I'm alright, I'm right here. I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere."Her hands had bunched up the back of the thin fabric the hospital had dressed him in. Clare was shaking and Jace was holding her together. She was in a field of broken glass and he was holding her from stepping on a broken piece and bleeding. He was on a cliff,readying himself for the fall, and she was holding him from falling.

* * *

><p><strong><em>It's been a really long time since I updated and I'm afraid that with the cliffy I left you guys on you would have come and stab me<em>**

**_I want to apologize again for taking this long to post this chapter, I have no excuses for my procrastination_**

**_I love you guys and thank you so much for your support through this dry spell I seem to be suffering through_**

**_Please review/follow/favorite so I know you're out there!_**


	8. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7**_

_***Chapter Song***_

_**Centuries- Fallout Boy ^.^**_

The golden light broke through the cloudy sky over New York City. Clares head hurt as she sat up on the hard couch. Auburn hair crowded her face and stuck to her skin. Clare was breathing hard, sweat beading at her neck. She flung the blanket off her legs, blinking back the tears welling in her took deep breaths, barely clearing her mind.

It took Clare a moment to find her bearings, she was in the depressing hospital room with Jace. Innocent Jace. She stood on shaking legs and stepped toward Jaces hibernating form. He looked peaceful, almost angelic. His eyelids shook gently as his dreaming eyes crossed under them. She gently sat in the chair in front of the bed. The digital clock clicked away loudly in the empty room. It was almost seven in the morning. Clare would have to report back to the precinct soon, tell Hodge what information she managed to extract from Jace, at that moment that information was at zero.

Last night she had lost it, crying like that wouldn't catch the killer, it just made her look weak in Jaces eyes. The reasons as to why she had cried were still true, she couldn't get the fear of his death out of her head. It was like a primal instinct to protect him. It seemed ridiculous now but when she thought he was dead, she couldn't have found anything more important.

Clare shook her head in an effort to remove the images haunting her. He is suppose to be a suspect of a murder not a shoulder to cry on. Clare considered waking him. Would he give cleared answers if he was drugged? Clare nearly jumped when her phone rang out into the silence. She tackled the object and picked it up, she didn't want to wake Jace like this. It was a text message from Sebastian.

_"We have a suspect in custody and I've convinced Alec to wait for you. Now get your ass down here, Fairchild, before I change my mind about being nice to you."_

Why the hell was Sebastian being nice to her? Honestly she expected snow in July more than Sebastian being nice for selfless reasons. Clare texted back that she would be there soon and tidied up her makeshift bed. Grabbing her purse and jacket from the back of a chair she began heading out when she heard a scratchy voice call out to her.

"Clare? Where are you going?" She felt like she was abandoning a lost puppy in the pound. She turned to face her puppy and saw his golden eyes looking at her. She walked to him and sat at the edge of the bed. She tried to smile but Jace didn't looked convinced.

"Sebastian and Alec have been up all night and they found a suspect. I have to go interrogate him. Sebastian is offering him as a peace offering. I guess that's considered prostitution but you know…" Clare was trying to dissolve the tension with humor, it was not working very well.

"Then you should go. Get the son of a bitch who did this." Clare nodded and, without really thinking, bent towards him and kissed his cheek. Clare pulled back quickly and stood up. Jace was wide eyed and his mouth kept opening and closing like he had something to say. And Clare had thought that crying on his shoulder was embarrassing.

"Anyways, I have to go." Clare rushed out of the hospital room so quickly she forgot her jacket. It wasn't that cold outside but Clare felt hot. Breathing heavily out of her mouth Clare sped down the street toward the general direction of the precinct.

.o.O.o.

When Clare arrived on the homicide floor the room was filled with detectives, Hodge was giving a presentation on the innocents of our beloved Detective Herondale. Clare was feeling like Hodge was making a huge deal of proving how loved Jace was at the precinct. Not that he wasn't loved but the way Hodge was making it sound like we couldn't do our jobs without him. Jace was a necessary part of the success of catching murderers, yes.

Passing the breakroom Clare saw Alec sitting alone on the stool. His face was buried in his hands. Clare walked toward him like he was a rabid dog and she had to put him down. Sitting down next to him, Alec practically jumped out of his skin and his body turned to face her.

"Hey Clare. How's Jace?" Clare knew this had to be very hard for Alec. Jace was his partner, his best friend. "I stopped by the hospital last night to see how he was. You were asleep on the couch and I didn't want to bother you." His words were tripping over themselves as his words cracked through his white teeth.

"It's not like that. He didn't want to be alone. There's nothing going on with us." Clares defenses were high. If any other detectives heard would they think she was sleeping with Jace? She had just earned their respect she didn't want to lose it now. "Um, he's okay. He's hurt."

"I didn't mean to insinuate that anything was going on with the two of you. I just thought it was amazing of you. He could be a murderer and you stayed with him, alone. The hospital was mostly empty that night, he could have killed you and no one could have helped you. Were you afraid of him?" Alecs sharp eyes pierced hers.

"No. I know he didn't do it, I know theres evidence against him but evidence is all about proof, it won't show anything about a persons character. I know him, he wouldn't do this." It was true, Jace could and would hurt anyone if they threatened him or an innocent but he wouldn't just kill. Alec seemed to relax.

"Thank you. Thank you for believing in him. I'm afraid many people don't." Clare nodded. "Sebastian is waiting for you in interrogation viewing room one." Murmuring a thank you to him, Clare walked out of the room. Sebastian was waiting for her in the viewing room, arms crossed, eyes narrow.

"You're so fucking late, Fairchild. You're lucky that I'm trying to sweat the guy. Maybe you should go in now." Clare rose her eyebrows. Damn the people who could lift only one. She projected her silent question, alone? "I'm watching you from here." Was Sebastian testing her? Well lucky for her she had a perfect score on her interrogation handed her a manila folder. Personal information on the suspect.

"Keep your eyes open you may learn something." She put on a show swinging her hips through the door. She slammed the door behind her before he could make an inappropriate joke about her ass. In the few months she'd known him he had actually checked out her breasts and ass, repeatedly.

Before opening the black door she unbutton the top two buttons of her sweater. Men tended to give out more answers when distracted by attractive women. Clare knew she wasn't the most beautiful woman in the world but she also knew she was more attractive than most...men.

Checking the name Clare opened the door and tucked the folder under her arm. The room was lit by pairs of lights on the middle aged man sat awaiting her. He was in a blue stitched suit, he smelled like money, even from the door. No facial hair in sight, spiked black hair. His legs were stretched on top of the table, his fingers interlocked on his lap.

"What took you so long? I've been here for an hour. Can I get a coffee?" He thought she was a secretary? What an ass. Clare walked towards the meticulous man. She pushed his legs off the table. She sat down and placed the folder neatly on the table.

"Mr. Franklin, where were you three days ago? Killing your girlfriend, ex girlfriend perhaps? Can I get a coffee? Or maybe some doughnuts? I mean do cops really eat that many of 'em? I'm surprised half of you aren't fat." That was incredibly offensive, all cops didn't sit around eating doughnuts. Okay, Clare liked doughnuts, but damn not that much. " The mans features became alert. He pressed forward on his gigantic ape hands. What the hell had Kaelie been thinking? What was on her down right creepy ass mind? Maybe she thought he could rescue her off the skyscraper, damn King Kong.

"My girlfriend? Kealie? For one thing she wasn't my girlfriend, I was just screwing her, I'm engaged. And another thing, I've been with my fiancé all week. We're getting married next week and our families are pooling in from the entire country! So if you'll excuse me-" Franklin stood making a steady beeline for the door. Clare stood up immediately and slamming the manila folder.

"Mr. Franklin I suggest you sit down before you have to cancel your wedding on account that I'll arrest you for interfering with an official police investigation." Franklins eyes darkened and he took a step toward Clare. She straightened her back gracefully.

"Listen here, I paid a quarter of a million dollars for my wedding and I am not going to sit here and listen to some bitch about a whore I was screwing. Do you understand that?" He was within millimeters of her face and Clare could pretty much hear Sebastian laughing on the other end of the glass. Pulling her handcuffs of her belt, Clare snapped them on his wrists.

"Anthony Franklin, you're under arrest for threatening a police officer. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the the right to a lawyer if you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you. You can decide at any time to exercise these laws and not answer any questions or make any statements. Do you understand these laws?"

.o.O.o.

"He's not saying anything useful. We already knew Kealie was a druggie, if he knew where she got them that may lead to something. Creative way to keep him here, by the way." After questioning him for two straight hours and six cups of coffee and an unholy amount of doughnuts, they had nothing. This was worse than nothing, it meant that their only suspect was Jace. Again. Dammit.

Clare was exhausted, the blinding lights and terrible coffee didn't help the situation. Playing good cop, bad cop was shitty. Sebastian was now threatening Franklin's mother. Clare had just offered him a deal. It was a pretty regulated system. Her phone rang rapidly. She left the interrogation room. "Hello?"

"Clare? It's Jace. Um, you forgot your jacket. Are you going to stop by and get it? If you wanted to, that is, not that I'm pressuring you or anything. Anyways I have to go, the nurse is here to check that I'm alive. Sorry to bother you about something stupid. Bye." What the fuck was that?

"Jace? Hello? Are you- that bitch hung up." What had that been about? Clare shook her head and dropped the phone into her purse. Sebastian came out through the blank door.

"We have a lead. Franky drove our girl to a drug deal and he gave me the address. Let's go." Clare ran after Sebastian to the elevator. "The place is in a bad neighborhood, drugs figure into that, have your gun at the ready and we'll call narcotics on the way there." Pulling out her phone Clare remembered that Aline was a narcotics detective. Clare talked to Aline as she sped after Sebastian.

"Aline is meeting us there. We can interrogate Kealie's dealer and she can search the perimeter for any incriminating evidence of narcotics."

* * *

><p><em><strong>For some reason I can't seem to focus when writing Angel of Mercy, I just space out but on this story I'm all focus<strong>_

_**You people are very lucky that I don't have a life outside of my fantasy -_-**_

**_There are more detectives in the precinct, I won't be focusing on their lives as thoroughly though_**

**_I went with Clare instead of Clary because I felt like a 25 year old homicide detective would want to have a nickname that sounded serious_**

**_Thank you Iesha for editing this and adding the doughnuts and King Kong_**

**_P.S. Saw the DUFF movie last night and I loved it!I saw_****_ it with my little sister Iesha^.^_**

**_#smileyface#lovablefamily#eternityinhellwithoutWiFi#mylifeisAWESOME...XD_**


	9. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8**_

_**Chapter song- Shatter Me by Lindsey Stirling ft. Lzzy Hale**_

The whole building looked like shit. Entire walls had been taken out and shards of glass lay limp on the cold concrete floor. Loud music pounded through the crowded rooms, electronic lights pulsed through every nook and crany. Clare and Sebastian slide around the grinding bodies of high teenagers. Clare looked around, trying to spot Aline's raven black hair. The smell of alcohol and different drugs filled the air. There was no way in hell that any of this was legal. People were wearing clothes that looked like they had been through a woodchipper. Rips and tears on the thin, short, glittered their fabrics.

Clare felt like if she opened the truck sized garage door the teenagers would flee towards the walls and hiss at the light. Clare felt the buzz of her phone. Tapping Sebastian's shoulder she signaled that she needed to go out. She could almost hear him chuckling under his breath. Looking at the caller ID, Clare knew something was wrong.

"Doctor O'Ryan, what's going on? Is Jace alright? Oh Christ, I'll be there soon. Keep him there." Was Jace seriously trying to check himself out of the hospital? Moron! If Sebastian or Hodge found out he was trying to leave the hospital they would think he was trying to leave New York and he would become number one suspect again.

After leaving Sebastian a note on the rear view mirror Clare hailed a cab. Calling a taxi to where Clare was reminded her of trying to land a plane in a blizzard. Half an hour. It took HALF AN HOUR to get a fucking taxi. The cab smelled like firecrackers and chewed gum. The back seat was filled with crushed, styrofoam coffee cups.

Clare climbed out of the cab and ran into the hospital. Jace was on floor 6, in room 132. Ticking away the seconds until she could yell at him, Clare tapped her foot rapidly on the floor of the elevator. The heavy doors opened and Clare rushed out and followed the yelling from the end of the hall. Oh dear Lord! Jace was yelling at a nurse.

"Sir! You can't check yourself out. You were placed in our care by the police, you can't leave without express permission for the police! Sir, put the mattress down!" Clare froze in the hallway, had the nurse just said 'mattress'? Speeding down the hall Clare came into view just in time to see Jace swinging a pale mattress towards the nurse.

"He's coming with me, I'll check him out." Clare leaned against the doorframe. The nurse crooked up an eyebrow. "Detective Clare Fairchild." Parting her blazer away from her badge, Clare flashed it at the nurse. "I'm here to check out the lunatic with the mattress." Jace had dressed in jeans and a black tee. He lowered the weapon and grinned at the nurse.

"About damn time too." He walked behind her to the front desk, while she signed him out he whistled the solo 'My heart Will Go On' from The Titanic Movie. Clare turned to glare at him, Jace innocently shrugs. "Netflix."

"You're all good, have a nice day!" If people were really as cheery as this clown of a nurse, Clare would have been setting bombs off left and right. The womans face stretched the wrinkles around her eyes making her look older than she was. Light brown hair with sprinkles of grey, maybe she was as old as she looked. Her plump arms popped out of her green scrubs.

"Thank you." Grabbing Jace by the arm Clare dragged him out. Truly it felt like he was pulling her out. "I hate the smell of hospitals, it's like getting slapped in the face by cough syrup and dead people."

"That's terrifyingly accurate. How often do you visit hospitals?" Clare felt herself freeze a moment and pale. She coughed and began moving towards the glass doors again. "I'm sorry, did I hit a nerve?"

"No, it's fine." Clare hoped Jace didn't hear the hitch in her voice. She knew he heard it, he was a detective, if he didn't it would be shameful to be considered the best when you couldn't read emotions. The second her feet hit the pavement she took a gulp of city air.

.o.O.o.

6:32 in the afternoon. Jace wouldn't step foot inside his apartment. No matter how much reassurance Clare gave him about the apartment being clean. Jace continued shaking his head and moving away from the door. Clare put out her arm to stop him from running down the stairs. Again.

"Alright, enough. You're staying at my place tonight." Jace turned, he didn't look like he was going to object but he still opened his mouth. "No arguments allowed." Clare fished her keys out of her messenger bag. She opened the door and pushed him inside rather violently. He let out a groan.

"You don't have to do this, you know that, right?" Clare closed the door behind her. Leaning against the wall Clare peeled off her shoes. Rubbing her swollen feet, even in the morning Clare knew she was going to regret wearing the damn heels. She placed the black heels on the shoe stand and hung the jacket on the hook.

"Jace, stop it. We're friends and friends help each other when they need it. You need me now and I'm here. Not just now, I'm here for good." Jace looked down at his feet. He wiped his face with his hand. After a moment he composed himself.

"Thank you. I'm hungry, that hospital was serving cardboard for lunch. You want to catch an early dinner?" Clare nodded. She hadn't eaten anything since the endless box of doughnuts. She headed into the kitchen. "Whoa! Where are you going? I thought we were going to dinner."

"I need to cook the food, unless you want salmonella and other colorful food poisoning." Jace looked at her like she grew an extra head. "What?"

"I didn't know you could cook. You aren't planning on killing me, are you?" Clare laughed. She rummaged around the fridge and cabinets. Beginning to wash the chicken Clare sent a look over her shoulder at Jace. He was studying her from a bar stool.

"I will not reveal my secret assassination plans." Clare left the chicken strips on the cutting board. Clare cracked eggs and mixed. For a while Clare worked the chicken in a peaceful silence. Chicken strip, egg mix, bread crumbs, oven safe pan, repeat. Clare began humming.

.o.O.o.

"This is amazing. Where did you learn how to cook?" Jace was smothering his face into the chicken. While the chicken had been cooking they had discussed sleeping arrangements. Clare takes the bed and Jace takes the couch. Clare was trying to convince Jace to take the bed. He was bigger than her, not in a bad way, muscles and all. She didn't want him to hurt his back because he had to squish into a medium sized couch. Jace told her that it was about being a gentleman, letting her sleep on the bed. Clare retorted with 'then let me be a lady and let you take the bed'.

"My mother taught me. My brother has two left hands and would more than likely starve if mom and I didn't cook. My mom is an artist, she had a studio on the other side of town and was barely home enough to be a mom. It was my job, everyday after school I cooked dinner for them."

"What about your dad? Where does he fit in?" Clare took a drink of red wine and swirled it around in her mouth. Wasn't she the one who had said friends are there for one another? It was time to prove it.

"My father has been in jail since I was 13 years old." Jace lowered the wine glass and turned his full attention on her. He was silently telling her that it was all going to be okay, that he was going to be there for her. "He enjoyed hitting my mother and me. He used to drink too much. The police sent him to prison when he showed up at my school drunk, trying to grab one of the other girls off the playground."

"Oh God. Did he ever try to… Did he ever…?" Clare shook her head. Jace breathe out loudly and gulped down the rest of the wine in his glass. "You look tired, go to bed. I'll clean this up."

"Goodnight, Jace."

"Goodnight, Clare."

.o.O.o.

Cold shadows dancing along the walls. Clare breathe in the frigid air. The small room was occupied with a little girl. Hot tears flowed down her pale face. Clare bent on her knees to look at the little girl. Her fiery red hair was in a messy bun. Clare reached out to touch the little girls purpled wrist. Before her fingers could brush the bruise a loud crash came from down stairs followed by a scream. Clare quickly rose on her feet and faced the door. They could hear the stomps coming up the stairs. Clare bent back down to look into the little girls face.

"It's okay, don't cry." Clare tried hugging the girl but she passed right through her. The footsteps came closer to the door and the door slammed against the wall as it was opened. Clares heart stayed on the floor as she jumped in front of the fiery girl. "No! Don't hurt her! Please! No!"

The white haired man passed through her. He smelled like hard liquor, the scent filled Clares lungs. Clares mind was freezing her in place. His black eyes projected hatred at the little girl. He lifted his large hand to strike the cowering girl, Clare launched herself at the man. The small girl vanished into smoke. Clare found herself at the receiving end of the stinging blow.

Clare was on the cold floor. Valentine was shaking her. He was screaming something as he shook her. Clare could feel the burn of his grip against her skin. She was screaming out, tears filling her eyes. The face above her began to morph.

"Clare? It's just a nightmare, wake up. Clare? Shh, shh, open your eyes." Clare snapped her eyes open. Jaces concerned features came into view. He was towering over her, shaking her. He was shirtless and his face was inches away from hers. She pushed him off of her and began wiping at her wet face. Jace stood a foot away from her looking hurt. Clares pillow was damp from tears.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you? I didn't mean to...I'm sorry." Clare looked at him desperately trying to show just how sorry she was. That she didn't mean to hurt him by pushing him away. Jace washed the hurt from his face and took a step toward her.

"It's okay. I'm here, Clare." She took deep breaths, clutching her stomach. Clare never cried in front of people. Not even in fourth grade when Suzie Craig locked her in a closet right before the talent show. Clare had been locked in that closet for the entire talent show and not only had she lost but no one looked for her until an hour after the show ended.

Jace was watching her while she tried to breath. After considering his choices, between holding a crying woman and watching a crying woman, Jace made the smart choice and slowly strode to her. He sat down and gingerly patted her back. Clare was surprised at first but once her sobs became aggressive, Clare wrapped her arms around Jaces stiffened neck and buried her face in the crook of his shoulder.

His stiffness lasted only a second and he recovered by pressing her against him. Clare was hyper aware of the heat radiating off of his bare chest. Instead of checking him out and getting turned on Clare was sobbing into his shoulder like a twelve year old. Wasn't life grand?

"Shh, shh." Jace scooted Clare further into the bed. She didn't seem to notice that she was now in the middle of the bed, laying down, and snuggling next to Jace. Jace spent an hour holding her. Clare finally fell asleep at two in the morning, Jace tried getting out of the bed. He wasn't sure he knew what her reaction would be when she woke up. Clare was holding on to him and when he moved Clare groaned. Jace settled back down next to her. Hey, if she was mad tomorrow it wouldn't be his fault.

* * *

><p><strong><em>This has been my week of updating like a maniac. LOVE ME! <em>****_NO JOKE. DO IT._**

**_I know this is pretty cut up but I'm tired and planning two birthdays for the next 2 weeks. I literally have no time to edit this and make it better_**

**_This was a mostly fluffy chapter so the next chapter is going to be more vital, serious to the plot of the story. But later on, there will be some fluff. ^.^_**

**_I won't be posting anything in the next couple weeks because...My birthday is on the 14th of March! I'm another year older!_**

**_One year closer to destroying the world_**

**_MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA_**


	10. Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9**_

Clare opened her eyes groggily. The digital clock showed 9a.m. Why hadn't the alarm clock woken her up? Clare brushed hair out of her eyes. Shifting her weight onto her side Clare heard a groan behind her. She didn't remember the last time she had slept without having a nightmare. Clare should have been embarrassed with what happened last night but instead she felt peaceful.

Clare looked at the clock again. 'screw it', Clare readjusted her head on Jaces chest. Her hand rested his right clavicle. Snuggling closer to him, Clare felt his arm tighten around her waist. Clare closed her eyes and fell back into a nightmare free sleep.

_**2 hours later**_

Clare woke up on her side without Jace. Lifting her head she scanned the rest of the bed. He wasn't there. There was a smell in the air, it smelled like eggs and bacon. Was he making breakfast? Did he think something was going on between them now? Damn his natural caring personality. Clare stood up, her fuzzy, pink flannel bottoms were paired with a red tee shirt. Clare was thankful that she was wearing a sports bra otherwise last nights sleeping arrangements would have been awkward.

"Morning sleepy head." Jace had put on a shirt and was flipping pancakes on the stove. There was a pile of fluffy eggs in the middle of the table, right next to a white plate of crisp bacon. Clare took a seat on the stool in front of an empty plate.

"Hey about last night, I don't want you to think that I'm in love with you or anything." Jace chuckled but didn't turn to look at her. "What's funny?" Jace turned to look at her. He was grinning at her.

"You needed me and I was there. It doesn't mean we're going to be together forever or anything of the sort. Okay?" Clare nodded. It felt kind of like having a one night stand but without the sex and all the cuddling. "Pancakes?"

"Mhm." Jace dropped two golden brown pancakes on her plate. Clare used her fork to pull a small portion of eggs to her plate, grabbing four pieces of bacon Clare bit a piece and dropped the rest. "Oh my God, this is delicious."

"Go easy there, Clare. Bacon won't disappear if you eat it slower." Clare chewed the food in her mouth and stuck her tongue out at him. "Oh that's very mature, care-bare." Clare crooked her head to the side, care-bear?

"What did you just call me? And do we have syrup for these?" She was pointing at the fantastic pancakes. Jace shook his head and handed her a bottle of maple syrup.

"I have a request, it's kind of the reason for the pancakes." Clare had her mouth full so she jerked her head up to signal him to go on. "Can you go into my apartment and grab some of my clothes? I'm going to a hotel later and I can't go in there. I know it's clean but I just can't get her body out of my head." Clare swallowed the food and reached across the table to grasp his hand.

"You don't have to go to a hotel. You can stay with me for as long as you want." Jace smiled at her sadly. "In fact, I insist you stay here. For personal reasons of course, I mean look at you, perfect eye candy for every morning."

"Thank you but…" Clare shot him a warning glance. "Thank you." He squeezed her hand. "What are we doing all day? Since you were asleep I called Alec and told him you were sick."

"You shouldn't have done that but now that you have I was thinking after breakfast we could have a Lord of the Rings marathon?" Jace dramatically threw her hand across the bar to her and turned on his heels.

"Oh dear lord my roommate is a geek! What did I ever do to deserve this?" He had his palms pressed together like he was praying for her soul.

"Shut up, what do you want to do in the middle of December? Go skinny dipping?" Jace sat down next to her with a plate of food on his own. He looked at her like he was studying her. He looked from the tips of her toes to the top of her hair.

"Maybe later in the bath but I was thinking more of ice skating." Clare rose her eyebrows. "What? There's a small pond in the middle of Central Park that freezes over and in it's amazing. Come on." He nudged her with his elbow. "You know you want to."

"Alright, I surrender! We can go ice skating but afterwards I'm holding you hostage to the awesomeness that is Lord of the Rings. Deal?" Clare extended her hand toward him and he shook her hand.

"Deal."

.o.O.o.

"You're going to end up killing me! Agh! Don't let go of my hand!" Jace was clutching Clares hand. The tips of her fingers were turning white.

"It's a duck, Jace, not a serial killer." The greyed little duckling was a good foot away from them, it wasn't even facing their direction.

"It's not just a duck, it's a man-eating, quacking, little monster! Stay behind me, I'll protect you." Clare pulled her gloved hand from his and stepped toward the duckling. Jace gasped as she picked up the duckling. It was as small as the palm of her hand.

"How is there a duckling here? It's the middle of winter! Poor thing would have died if you hadn't seen him. I'm calling animal control. Maybe they'll place him in the zoo." Jace looked absolutely disgusted, like the baby in her hand was pelican shit.

"Don't touch it! It could bite your finger off." Clare shot him an annoying glance over her shoulder. "Just hurry up and call animal support so they can put that monster behind bars."

"Oh stop it. You're being ridiculous. It's a baby duckling not a grizzly bear." Clare called animal control and sat on the bench while waiting for them to arrive. Jace circled around the empty pond.

After animal control finally collected the little fella Jace relaxed and sat next to her on the bench. He pulled out his hand, holding it out to her. Clare took it and the stood up together. Clare hadn't gone ice skating since she was fifteen. Jace had to hold on to her hand the entire time, he didn't want her to fall and hurt herself.

"Don't let go, okay?" Jace nodded. He placed his unused hand on the small of her back while simultaneously holding her other hand. She was flailing her other arm, trying to maintain her balance. "Don't let go, please."

"I won't let go Care." They stopped in the middle of the pond. Jace nuzzled his chin against her shoulder. The soft wool of his hat rested below her let go of her hand and Clare was about to yell at him when Jace wrapped both arms around her stomach. "If you fall I'll catch you."

"Promise?" Clare turned her head to look at him. She placed her hands on top of his. Jace looked up at her lifted his head and leveled to her face. Clares auburn hair tied into a flaxened braid down to her collarbone.

"I promise." Jaces voice cracked. His eyes dropped down to her lips then back to her eyes. Clare could smell mint on his hot breath. Her eyes drifted felt his nose against hers. The small space between them closed. Clare lifted up her hand and placed it on his cheek.

In a quick motion Jace twirled Clare on the ice to face him, never breaking lip contact. Clare's arms were wrapped around Jaces neck and his hands were on her waist, pulling her closer. Clare felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. Jace broke contact, breathing heavily. "Don't answer that."

"I have to." She was looking into his eyes as she fished out her phone. "Hello? Yes, I'll be right there." Doctor O'Ryan cut the phone call short. Clare looked down at the phone, utterly confused.

"Who was that?" Jace was looking down at her with his eyebrow raised. Clare held the phone between them in the small space. Jaces lips were red and his hat was in Clares hand. She didn't remember taking it off.

"Doctor O'Ryan, I think she called the wrong person. She called me Madison Kelly and told me that my X-rays showed a break in my C4 rib. She was talking very strangely. I told her I would be there soon and she told me it would be okay to bring my husband. It was like she was talking to me for the sake of someone else, like she was trying to send me a message. We need to get there, now."

"Whoa whoa, slow down. You can't just run in there without having the information that O'Ryan is trying to send us. There could be something wrong and you would be walking into a trap. Call Sebastian and Alec." His eyes were pleading with her. Asking her to let him be protective of her.

"Okay, I'll call them." Clare began scrolling through her contacts looking for Sebastians name. Jace pulled her to him and kissed her again. "Hey, watch it. I'm making a very important call." Jace grinned at her.

_**Exactly 42 Minutes Later**_

"I'm here to see Doctor O'Ryan."It had taken half an hour to convince Jace to quickly brief Sebastian and Alec whenever they arrived. Alec was still questioning Kealie's drug dealer and he promised they would be there soon. The receptionist told Clare what floor Dr. O'Ryan was on. "Thank you."

The elevator smelled foul. Like sour milk and rotten eggs, not the pleasantry you would expect in an elevator that's probably had someone die in it. Clare cringed at the thought. When the doors to the eighth floor opened Clares heart stopped.

The lights were flickering on and off, the ones that were still attached to the ceiling. There was an unconscious nurse laying a few feet in front of her. Clare launched herself at the womans body. Checking the woman's pulse Clare let out a long breath. She was alive. Clare dragged her into the elevator by the arms. There was a fallen gurnee on the floor. Clare checked behind it for a patient. Nothing. Clare wanted to call out to anyone else who might be there, what if the people who did this were still there?

Looking through the first couple of rooms Clare couldn't find anyone. Until the second to last room. There were two patients sleeping on their beds. They were two men, mid-forties, grey hair, their charts left their names as Emil Pangborn and Samuel Blackwell. It took Clare ten minutes to wheel both patients into the elevator. There wasn't any room left, Clare pushed the down button.

What the hell was taking the guys so long? They should be here by now. Clare turned to the last room. Doctor O'Ryan was hunched over on the ground. Clare glanced back at the two men and took off towards O'Ryan.

"No, don't!" Clare gently took a step towards her. "Detective, I need you to make a call for me."

_**One Hour Before the Death of Clare Fairchild**_

"Jace, there's a bomb in the hospital and there's no way out. The elevator isn't coming back up and Doctor O'Ryan is strapped to the bomb, it's equipped with movement sensors. She even breathes the wrong way and this entire floor is going straight to hell." Clare could hear the hitch in Jaces voice when he spoke.

"No, we are going to get you out of there." Clare looked out the window, the street was crowded with police cars and pedestrians. "The bomb squad is here. We have a tech team working on the elevator and the team is prepared to go up the second they can. Until then you keep the good doctor from moving and keep yourself as far away as possible." Clare didn't bother correcting him that if the bomb blew it wouldn't matter where she was on the floor, she would die.

"I'll be waiting. We can catch a late marathon. I've got to go. See you at home." Clare heard Jace object before she hung up. She needed to know if the bomb was remotely detonated, triggered just by movement, or timed. Clare walked back to O'Ryan.

"Hey, I need to take pictures of the deadly device strapped to you. Would that be okay with you?" Clare knew that in normal circumstances she should be calming the victim but this was a woman that handled death on a normal basis. Not just that she dealt with the outcome of death, the families trauma.

"Yeah, just make it quick." Clare moved into the room and her heart sped up. The nearer Clare got the more fear she could read off O'Ryans face. Maybe she wasn't in control as much as Clare thought she was. Taking shots of the vest Clare noticed the two sticks of C4.

"Do you know who did this to you? When you called me you called me Madison Kelly, you is she?" O'Ryan looked at her confused.

"I called you? I don't remember that." Clare guessed that was the result of drugs entering her system. "I don't remember who hooked me up with this damn thing, I don't know who killed me."

"You aren't dead yet. And if I have anything to do with it, you won't. Do you have a family?" O'Ryan nodded, her eyes filling with tears. "Tell me about them."

"My husband, David, and my two girls, Cameron and Victoria. My parents died two years ago. David was in the military, he'll takes care of the girls when I'm gone." Her tears were running freely down her face. "Do you have kids or a husband?"

"No. There is this guy, we kissed today but then I got dragged into this mess. You know what? We're both going to get out here and you're going to go home to your family and I'm going to go home to my guy. Okay?"

"Okay." O'Ryan didn't look convinced but she nodded. "You should send those pictures to your team. Get us out of here, Detective." Clare nodded and walked back into the hall. A text message came through a few minutes later.

_'It's remotely triggered. She can move but do not attempt to remove the vest.'_

"Hey, O'Ryan, I have good news." Clare turned toward the woman. She was laying on her side. "O'Ryan? Are you okay?" Walking closer to the woman Clare was getting nervous. Her hand was holding a scalpel. "Oh my god." Her lifeless eyes were staring up into the flickering light. Her throat was torn open, bleeding.

"Oh shit." There was a timer on the inside of the vest. O'Ryans neck angle allowed Clare to see the clock. In a minute the bomb was going to blow up and Clare would die. Running down the hall Clare stopped at the elevator and tried to open the doors.

"Come on, come on! No, no, please! Open!" Clare started kicking the door. She could practically hear the ticking of the clock. The ticking of the seconds of her life clicking down. She never got to visit France, Germany, Italy, Russia, not even Scotland. It felt like the things in her life revolved around catching murderers and taking care of her family.

There was a janitors closet at the end of the hall. It looked like it was far enough away from the bomb that Clare hoped the worst she would get would be third degree burns. Hopefully not on the face.

Clare ran to the closet and shut the door behind her. There were metal shelves on the wall and even though Clare knew the shelves would provide little to no protection from the fire she still moved it against the wall. Clare crouched into the farthest corner of the small closet.

_10… I'm sorry mom, you were right...9... Burn in hell Valentine...8...Take care of yourself Jonathan...7...Sebastian, you make me want to kick you in the face...6... Isabelle, thanks for teaching me not to wear yellow with pink because it looks like a clown...5...Jace, thank you for holding me while I cried and for teaching me to skate...4...Here we go...3...Oh bloody hell...2...Wait, how the hell do I know when the bomb is going to go off?_

Then the world went straight to bloody hell.

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><p><strong><em>I wasn't going to post this until after my birthday but I felt like the last chapter didn't really leave you at any sort of cliffhanger so I wrote this and posted it to anger you. There was fluff, yes, but j<em>****_udging by the pitchforks and torches you are brandishing against me I believe I have succeeded in pissing you guys off...Don't kill me please._**

**_I would say I'll post again after my birthday but I don't even know anymore, whenever inspiration strikes_**

**_Thank you everyone who reviews, follows, and favorites my story! Keep going it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside._**


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